BC's Top News Stories Of 2012

A central theme connects many of B.C.'s top newsmakers in 2012: the willingness to rise up against larger forces.

There was the movement against the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline as activists from all over British Columbia took a stand against a major oil corporation. They made clear their opposition to a project that may travel over thousands of kilometres of wilderness and pose a major environmental threat in the event of a spill.

There was RCMP Cpl. Catherine Galliford, who came forward in 2011 with sexual harassment allegations that rocked the national police force. This year, she filed a lawsuit detailing several incidents during her 16 years with the Mounties. The RCMP has responded, with Comm. Bob Paulson pledging to root "dark-hearted behaviour" out of the force.

And there was Amanda Todd, the 15-year-old girl whose story of bullying and harassment went around the world. A YouTube video produced shortly before her suicide sparked a wide-ranging discussion on bullying and what adults can do to keep young people safe.

There were, of course, other stories with different themes, but there's little doubt that a little boldness and courage put British Columbians on the public radar in 2012.

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See our choices for Top B.C. News Stories Of 2012:

Top BC News Stories 2012

Top BC News Stories 2012

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12. Prince George Sawmill Fire

The Lakeland Mills sawmill in Prince George turned into a "wall of orange" when the facility exploded, killing two and injuring 24 others. The mill was shut down indefinitely amid a fire investigation, leaving several workers out of a job.

Four people were killed when a massive landslide in Johnson's Landing, B.C. destroyed at least four homes. The landslide area remained a disaster zone two months after the slide, leaving residents to wait to return to their homes.

Wally Oppal, commissioner of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry issued his long-awaited report on how police handled the Downtown Eastside missing women cases between 1997 and 2002. Recommendations included a regional police force and compensation for the children of missing and murdered women.

The first transgender participant in the Miss Universe Canada, Jenna Talackova was dropped when organizers learned about her gender. She was later reinstated. The advocate llater started a petition calling on the World Health Organization to change its definition of transsexualism as an illness.

RCMP Cpl. Catherine Galliford filed a lawsuit against the Mounties claiming she was sexually assaulted, harassed and bullied in her 16 years as an active officer. The allegations were denied, but hundreds of women later joined a class-action lawsuit against the Mounties for bullying, verbal abuse and sexual harassment.

2. Haida Gwaii Earthquake

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Haida Gwaii in October. It triggered tsunami warnings and heightened concerns about B.C.'s preparedness for the "big one," a powerful quake expected to hit the southwest coast one day. The quake even shut off a popular hot spring.